Why do some folks accuse people with hearing disabilities of "selective hearing"

Since my time in military service I suffer from hearing disability, not very bad, but enough to be a nagging annoyance in many ways. The saddest thing is the accusation by some people, especially in the family, that I had "selective hearing". It is NOT like that. I frequently face this question: "How come if you don't hear good you still complain if someone is too noisy in the house?"

Indeed, even with a bad hearing, when I want/need to fall asleep, I am annoyed by noises that might be going on in the house, since I'm not totally deaf.

Also, when the circumstances are right and very little background noise is going on, I can hear everything out of a conversation. And this fact is not understood by people with normal hearing....there I face another question: "You just hear what you wanna hear, do you?"

Than again, sometimes I have to ask several times what someone said and those replies can be very hurtful since no one seems to be even willing to understand my problem.

Anyone w/. clues?

I'm sorry for your hearing problems. Have you checking with an audiologist to see if there is anything they can do to help?

I had to smile a bit when I read your question asking about "selective hearing". I used to say my husband had selective hearing but then I realized that with him, it's actually simply selective ANSWERING! He hears when I tell him dinner is ready but not when I ask him to let the dogs out. My kids seem to have this problem too. Hmmm..